Skip to content

Renewable Energy

The sounds of mellow fruitfulness from wind energy organisations

by Dave Armstrong 31 Oct 2012
The sounds of mellow fruitfulness from wind energy organisations

Wind Turbines Image; Credit: © Shutterstock

"Renewable UK" are having their annual gathering in Glasgow this week. The quite venerable organisation now includes tidal energy and wave power organisations, since it began as a simply academic wind power lobby. The Meteorological Office, exhibiting there, have produced a special office suite 'a la Microsoft' for wind energy producers - including:

  • Virtual Met Mast - site-specific wind analysis model-based tool to provide fast and accurate wind farm site screening.

  • VisualEyes - an intuitive, web-based weather alert system designed in conjunction with the industry to help manage wind farm assets.

  • Wind Production Forecast - a site specific forecasting service for wind farms and wind energy production, designed to help generators make accurate short-term assessments of power production.

  • NEW Wind Production Forecast Plus - a site-specific weather forecasting service, with enhanced output accuracy, to help generators make more accurate predictions of energy generation from wind farm assets.

    While people such as the Met Office will be talking about wind turbine siting issues, the companies installing renewable technology will be celebrating an improvement in approval rate. 70,000 UK jobs could be in place by 2020 while Scotland of course stands proud with its projected 100% renewable energy supply ready for the same year.

    Overall only 10% of British homes will be supplied with all renewable energy by 2018. We will have slightly less available nuclear energy at that time. With our poor sunlight catchment and few mountains, it all seems reasonable, but the wind power producers could certainly take a leaf out of Scotland's go-ahead approach. One of the keys to this is the new energy minister, John Hayes, who is on record as being against wind farms in principle. On his appointment however, he says, not very reassuringly, "It's about having the support of local people - that is the key thing." He is taking measures to make it easier for local communities to benefit by having a financial stake in revenue. We even have climate change sceptics, actually on the climate policy committees. And we thought dinosaurs were extinct!

    Investment is the thing these days, so the policies of the coalition government will continue, otherwise Siemens, General Electric and Mitsubishi will make no decisions on investment in manufacturing plant.

    The key here is George Osborne, the Chancellor, who insists he will produce gas-powered plant. Has nobody educated him at school about fossils? He is naturally drawn to the short term jobs (and publicity), available when building 20 new gas-fired power stations. With the news of Hitachi's new nuclear stations today, the renewable lobbies must be hankering after big changes in the government. At least at the Exchequer and the climate change committee.


  • Trending Eco-Friendly Clothing

    Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
    Earth
    Quick Add
    Close
    Notify me
    Notify me
    Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
    Love My Planet women's eco-friendly relaxed fit hoodieSize Guide Centimeters 8 10 12 14 16 18 Bust 84 88 92 97 103 108 Waist 66 70 75 80 85 91 Hips 91 95 99 104 109 116 Bust: Measure around the fullest part of...
    £38.00
    £38.00
    Close
    Notify me
    Notify me
    Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
    Earth
    Quick Add
    Close
    Notify me
    Notify me
    Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
    Penguins Hate Push-Ups men's eco-friendly pullover HoodieSize Guide Centimeters XS S M L XL XXL Height 171 175 179 183 189 195 Chest 86 93 99 104 116 129 Waist 71 76 81 89 99 112 Chest: Measure all round your chest just below...
    £38.00
    £38.00
    Close
    Notify me
    Notify me
    Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
    Earth
    Quick Add
    Close
    Notify me
    Notify me
    Notify me